Marquis Jethro
A former 'character' in Boss Town, as well as being one of it's many gang leaders; Marquis Jethro has lived a varied life having started out the simple son of a farmer and a slave, to a soldier, and then a gambler and streetfighter which later led him to become a gang leader. During his lifetime, he was a popular person and was known for his confident behavior and sense of humor. Marquis was later killed in an assassination in 2289. History Early Childhood Born as Juaquin Commor in the winter of 2257; the young Juaquin was raised in the small village of 'Jerry's Crossing' just within the borders of The Royaume and bordering the Great Swamps where the Swampers prowled. His father, Robert Greene Commor, was a simple farmer who had little education aside from how to till the earth. His mother, Martha Stewart Commor (whom, according to Jethro in his later years, would always remark she claimed she was named after some great Pre-War figure) was a slave that Robert Greene Commor had taken a shine too and purchased, later marrying her. Juaquin, despite his status as the technical "son of a slave", was a popular child in the small village. He often organized various games with the other village children, led small expeditions beyond the village outskirts to simply see "what else is out there". Some in the village theorized that he may end up becoming an explorer or some sort with his bravado and willing to trek into the unknown. In 2270, when Juaquin was just thirteen, a small band of Swampers raided the small village. Despite the Swampers being repulsed by a small group of Royaume Gendarmeries and several townspeople, Juaquin watched from his hiding spot as several of his friend's parents die. It was his first real experience of the wider, cut-throat nature of the world at large; as well as leaving a negative impression of Swampers in general. Several years later at the age of eighteen, Juaquin volunteered to join the Royaume Gendarmeries. His parents, although proud of him for making something of himself, wanted him to join the family tradition of farming and quietly opposed him becoming a soldier. However, Juaquin saw it as an opportunity to see the world as well as to become a hero of sorts and happily marched off to basic training. Soldiering days Juaquin adjusted slowly to the life of a soldier. Posted in a team of Gendarmeries on the edge of the Royaume's border guarding a small village named 'Goff' with another six soldiers; Juaquin saw little action during his short stint as a soldier. Rather, he was subjected to the personal whims of one Capitaine Daniels. Daniels was widely regarded to be unhinged and often ordered the small group of soldiers he commanded into various demeaning tasks such as running around the village half-naked for physical fitness, fighting each other for his own amusement, and ordering kit inspection at random hours of the night while everybody was asleep. Daniels would also insult the troops in a consistent manner, even when they were succeeding in their task. Morale quickly plummeted within months, as the soldiers were exhausted from Capitaine Daniels non-stop physical exercise programs as well as his constant beratement of the troops. Whispers of mutiny flowed through the troops. Capitaine Daniels was eventually replaced by the much calmer and more stable Capitaine McCullough a year and a half into Juaquin's deployment. Daniel's replacement raised morale slightly, but, the damage was done for many of the troops there. Juaquin and a comrade, one Watson Sisk, escaped into the dead of the night with their gear and whatever pay they could steal in 2277, after only spending two years in the Gendermarines. Watson and Juaquin would eventually part ways, deciding to go off and seek their fortunes elsewhere. Juaquin quickly adopted the name of Marquis Jethro once he entered the city of Boss Town, a haven for those wishing to escape the Royaume. Gambler, Streetfighter, and 'Tourguide' The newly dubbed Marquis Jethro originally had a tough time adapting to the rough and tumble nature of Boss Town. Having grown up in either a small village or the overbearingly strict military discipline of Capitaine Daniels he found himself confused by the free-spirited and brawling town. He found himself quickly cheated or having forced to sell his few possessions within the first few weeks in Boss Town. Marquis Jethro was forced to become a street fighter, brawling for money and the cheap thrills of onlookers. His military training under Capitaine Daniels quickly found effective use and Marquis quickly earned a reputation as an efficient fist-fighter. The money that he had earned from street fighting, as well as the occasional muggings he performed when times were tough, allowed him to pursue professional gambling as a side career. Marquis Jethro found himself to be a natural gambler, and after a few early setbacks, found himself to be a successful gambler in the cut-throat nature of the Boss Town's gambling dens, dive bars, and honky-tonks. Marquis's reputation as a street fighter protected him against those who lost their money to him, as well as providing a steady funding to him when he was losing money gambling. The money tended to find itself used to fund Marquis's constant partying, and more than once has Marquis drunkenly bought drinks for everybody in the bar that night which only increased his reputation as a hard partier. Marquis's reputation grew by leaps and bounds as well. He survived being shot and stabbed multiple times, as well as being involved in more than a few bar-room shootouts as well as being a rather funny person. He was an overall popular person in a city filled with larger-than-life characters. Marquis was known as an excellent fist, knife and pistol fighter with a penchant for throwing knives; as well as the noted ability to win at card and dice games. After living in Boss Town for roughly two years or so, he came up with an idea of helping tourists to Boss Town to survive. Offering his services as a tour guide to newcomers to the city, Marquis made a hefty sum (in addition to his gambling and occasional street-fighting) from both the tourists themselves and the various businesses that paid Marquis to guide tourists to them. In addition to guiding the tourists, Marquis charged a fee to protect them from muggers; a task that he found after he was swarmed by six thugs during a job that he could not do by himself. Recruiting amongst the small core of friends he trusted, he created a small armed forced he nicknamed The Gentlemen Gang. Originally they protected their clients by day and then proceeded to party by night. However, a few ambitious members began to suggest that they expand into a gang; which after a drunken night of partying, Marquis formally enacted in 2284. Leader of The Gentlemen Gang Marquis Jethro and his gang quickly organized and expanded. Thanks to Marquis's extensive reputation, the gang quickly grew in membership size and found itself protecting the dive-bar that Marquis typically frequented; the Broken Bottle. Marquis focused the gang around collecting protection payments for the Broken Bottle, as well as continuing offer their services to outsiders that wished to party in Boss Town without the risk of being mugged or pressed into a raider band. During the early history of the gang Marquis and another one of the founders who originally suggested they form a gang, Bo Pete, began developing a rivalry. Bo Pete, who wanted to expand the gang and try to take over Boss Town, began rallying members of the gang to his side while Marquis; who was content to simply defend their turf inside of the Broken Bottle and continue to party, gamble and enjoy life, attempted to keep the situation under control. In late 2286, Marquis and Bo Pete came to blows over the issue. Following a heated and drunken argument in front of multiple witnesses in the middle of the Broken Bottle, Marquis pulled out his pistol and shot Bo Pete in his chest. The issue was resolved with the death of Bo Pete, and Marquis emerged as the undisputed leader of the gang. Later, many people close to him noticed that the shooting of Bo Pete seemed to change Marquis Marquis would later expand their operations in 2287 despite his initial opposition to it, after the collapse of another gang The Old Boys Club. Taking several of their members into his gang, Marquis quickly took over their protection racket. Now controlling three dive bars, including the Broken Bottle, and a brothel; The Gentlemen Gang grew in both strength and riches. Previously regarded as a smaller gang, the Gentlemen Gang attracted the attention of The Barking Dogs; a rival gang. The rivalry between the Gentlemen Gang and the Barking Dogs initially was nothing more than shouting matches between the footsoldiers between the two gangs. However, it quickly escalated when drunk Gentlemen Gang members threw a rock through the window of a Barking Dog's drug den; which resulted in a fistfight in the middle of the street. Fistfights began breaking out on a regular occasion, which eventually resulted in a member of the Gentlemen Gang being stabbed to death. In revenge, Marquis burned down the Barking Dog's drug den with several members of the Barking Dogs and their hanger-ons still inside. The gang conflict quickly escalated after that, with shootings between the two gangs happening on a frequent and growing basis. Most looked at the gang conflict with hatred, as it led to many tourists refusing to come to Boss Town as they (understandably so) didn't want to get caught in the crossfire. Finally, in 2288 after a long and costly in terms of manpower and money war to both sides, Marquis sat down with the leadership of the Barking Dogs and signed a peace agreement. Many other gangs supported, congratulating leaders on both sides for burying the hatchet to allow business to resume in Boss Town. The Assassination of Marquis Jethro In the summer of 2289, after a long night of drinking and when most of the members of the Gentlemen Gang were passed out from drinking; Marquis Jethro remained gambling with a few associates. Alone, out of town figure walked into the bar, and joined the game mid-session. After playing a few hands, the out of towner suddenly stood up and pulled out a pistol. He quickly shot Marquis in the side of the head, killing him instantly. The assassin engaged in a quick gunfight with Marquis's associates, before fleeing into the night. Many suspected the Barking Dogs of organizing the assassination, but, there is no way to be sure. Marquis was buried the next morning, his funeral attended by most of the population of the city and the festivities held in his honor lasted for several days. The Gentlemen Gang, no longer united by his leadership; quickly splintered away. Years later, old associates of his continue to tell stories about Marquis; allowing his legend to live on in the form of bar stories. Many feel that it would be the way that Marquis would have wanted it to happen. Personality Marquis was well known to be a confident, if at times cocky, individual. Category:Adoptable